Agricultural Land Cover and Pacific Salmonid Habitat
B. Van Deynze
June 19, 2020
## Reading layer `subdomains-ver7' from data source `D:\Braeden\OneDrive\Documents\My Work\NOAA\Agriculture\Analysis\data\recovery_subdomains\subdomains-ver7.shp' using driver `ESRI Shapefile'
## Simple feature collection with 40 features and 11 fields
## geometry type: MULTIPOLYGON
## dimension: XY
## bbox: xmin: -124.7332 ymin: 32.53435 xmax: -112.9985 ymax: 49.00691
## geographic CRS: NAD83This document summarizes land cover over the habitat range of listed salmonid populations on the West Coast, with a focus on agriculture. Included are land cover summaries for 30 Distinct Population Segments (DPS). Details on each DPS life history are also reprinted from Crozier et al. (2019), for reference, along with their map of the eight distinct recover domains (ecoregions with distinct climatic and ecological characteristics). (I’ve been having some trouble efficiently creating maps that include the land cover data as the raster data over the full Pacific Coast is way too large to hold in memory on my laptop.)
Salmon recovery domains Reprinted from Crozier et al. (2019).
Land Cover
Land cover data is from the 2017 NASS Cropland Data Layer (CDL). The DPS habitat range data is courtesy of Damon Holzer. Land cover shares were computed for each habitat range by extracting the raster values from the mask of the habitat range borders over the CDL.
All DPS
The figure below presents rough summaries of land cover in the habitat ranges for all DPS. Agricultural land cover, including pasture, makes up a large share of the habitat range for many DPS. DPS in the Central Valley recovery domain have particularly large cropland land cover shares. Some Interior Columbia DPS have sizable cropland shares, driven mainly by winter wheat acreage in Eastern Washington. Upper Willamette Steelhead also have a large amount of cropland in their range, driven mostly by sod seed acreage in the Willamette Valley.
Pasture and developed land cover, both of which may also negatively affect salmon habitat quality, also make up large land cover shares of many DPS. Developed land cover is particularly common for Southern and Central California Steelhead, while pasture is especially common in the range of South-Central California Coast Steelhead.
DPS Breakdowns
This section provides breakdowns of the most common land covers for all 30 DPS, along with a rough map of their range. The tables provided reveal the most common crops grown in the ranges of each DPS (if any). For species in the Central Valley, rice, walnuts, and almonds are the most common crops in their habitat range. All three crops have high water demands. Winter wheat is the most common crop in the Interior Columbia ranges. Note that winter wheat is commonly rotated against fallow (i.e. one year wheat, the next year fallow, for each field), which is also very common in these ranges. If conservation tillage is not used, fallow fields can be particularly vulnerable to sediment and nutrient run-off.
California Central Valley Steelhead
Status: Threatened
Domain: Central Valley
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Grass pasture | 27.4% |
| Shrubland | 11.5% |
| Evergreen forest | 8.2% |
| Almonds | 6.7% |
| Fallow idle cropland | 5.3% |
| Developed open space | 4.0% |
| Grapes | 3.7% |
| Alfalfa | 3.7% |
| Walnuts | 3.5% |
| Rice | 2.8% |
| Developed med intensity | 2.4% |
| Winter wheat | 2.3% |
| Developed low intensity | 2.0% |
| Pistachios | 1.6% |
| Deciduous forest | 1.3% |
| Mixed forest | 1.2% |
| Herbaceous wetlands | 1.1% |
| Cotton | 1.1% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
California Coastal Chinook Salmon
Status: Threatened
Domain: North-Central California Coast
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 55.6% |
| Shrubland | 22.7% |
| Grass pasture | 8.1% |
| Mixed forest | 4.2% |
| Developed open space | 3.9% |
| Deciduous forest | 1.3% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Central California Coast Coho Salmon
Status: Endangered
Domain: North-Central California Coast
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 47.7% |
| Shrubland | 18.5% |
| Grass pasture | 12.5% |
| Mixed forest | 7.5% |
| Developed open space | 6.0% |
| Grapes | 1.8% |
| Developed low intensity | 1.6% |
| Developed med intensity | 1.5% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Central California Coast Steelhead
Status: Threatened
Domain: North-Central California Coast
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 17.0% |
| Grass pasture | 16.9% |
| Shrubland | 13.7% |
| Mixed forest | 10.2% |
| Developed med intensity | 8.3% |
| Developed open space | 7.8% |
| Background | 7.4% |
| Developed low intensity | 5.8% |
| Herbaceous wetlands | 2.9% |
| Open water | 2.7% |
| Grapes | 2.7% |
| Developed high intensity | 2.5% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Central Valley Fall & Late Fall-run Chinook Salmon
Status: Species of Concern
Domain: Central Valley
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Grass pasture | 27.4% |
| Shrubland | 11.4% |
| Evergreen forest | 8.0% |
| Almonds | 6.5% |
| Fallow idle cropland | 5.1% |
| Developed open space | 4.2% |
| Grapes | 3.6% |
| Alfalfa | 3.6% |
| Walnuts | 3.4% |
| Rice | 2.7% |
| Developed med intensity | 2.5% |
| Winter wheat | 2.3% |
| Developed low intensity | 2.2% |
| Pistachios | 1.6% |
| Herbaceous wetlands | 1.5% |
| Mixed forest | 1.4% |
| Deciduous forest | 1.3% |
| Open water | 1.2% |
| Cotton | 1.1% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Central Valley Spring-run Chinook Salmon
Status: Threatened
Domain: Central Valley
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Grass pasture | 24.2% |
| Shrubland | 16.1% |
| Evergreen forest | 14.4% |
| Fallow idle cropland | 7.3% |
| Rice | 6.4% |
| Developed open space | 4.4% |
| Walnuts | 4.3% |
| Developed med intensity | 2.6% |
| Alfalfa | 2.2% |
| Developed low intensity | 2.2% |
| Deciduous forest | 2.0% |
| Almonds | 1.9% |
| Winter wheat | 1.1% |
| Other hay non alfalfa | 1.0% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Columbia River Chum Salmon
Status: Threatened
Domain: Willamette/Lower Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 36.9% |
| Shrubland | 18.3% |
| Grass pasture | 7.4% |
| Mixed forest | 6.1% |
| Developed open space | 5.5% |
| Developed low intensity | 4.5% |
| Background | 3.4% |
| Deciduous forest | 3.4% |
| Open water | 3.3% |
| Developed med intensity | 2.7% |
| Woody wetlands | 2.3% |
| Herbaceous wetlands | 1.8% |
| Developed high intensity | 1.1% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Deschutes River Summer-run Chinook Salmon
Status: Not Warranted
Domain: Interior Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Shrubland | 60.5% |
| Evergreen forest | 29.1% |
| Fallow idle cropland | 3.4% |
| Winter wheat | 2.0% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Even Year Pink Salmon
Status: Not Warranted
Domain: Puget Sound
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 49.9% |
| Mixed forest | 13.4% |
| Shrubland | 11.9% |
| Developed open space | 5.6% |
| Developed low intensity | 4.4% |
| Deciduous forest | 2.9% |
| Grass pasture | 2.1% |
| Barren | 1.8% |
| Developed med intensity | 1.6% |
| Open water | 1.5% |
| Woody wetlands | 1.2% |
| Herbaceous wetlands | 1.0% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Hood Canal Summer-run Chum Salmon
Status: Threatened
Domain: Puget Sound
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 64.0% |
| Shrubland | 12.3% |
| Mixed forest | 4.3% |
| Developed open space | 3.7% |
| Barren | 3.5% |
| Grass pasture | 3.1% |
| Deciduous forest | 2.8% |
| Developed low intensity | 2.3% |
| Perennial ice snow | 1.2% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Lake Ozette Sockeye
Status: Threatened
Domain: Puget Sound
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 66.7% |
| Open water | 12.9% |
| Shrubland | 12.9% |
| Grass pasture | 3.1% |
| Woody wetlands | 1.8% |
| Barren | 1.6% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Lower Columbia River Chinook Salmon
Status: Threatened
Domain: Willamette/Lower Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 53.2% |
| Shrubland | 16.0% |
| Grass pasture | 4.9% |
| Mixed forest | 4.4% |
| Developed open space | 4.2% |
| Developed low intensity | 3.1% |
| Deciduous forest | 2.5% |
| Open water | 2.2% |
| Background | 2.2% |
| Developed med intensity | 1.7% |
| Woody wetlands | 1.5% |
| Herbaceous wetlands | 1.2% |
| Barren | 1.0% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Lower Columbia River Coho Salmon
Status: Threatened
Domain: Willamette/Lower Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 53.2% |
| Shrubland | 16.0% |
| Grass pasture | 4.9% |
| Mixed forest | 4.4% |
| Developed open space | 4.2% |
| Developed low intensity | 3.1% |
| Deciduous forest | 2.5% |
| Open water | 2.2% |
| Background | 2.2% |
| Developed med intensity | 1.7% |
| Woody wetlands | 1.5% |
| Herbaceous wetlands | 1.2% |
| Barren | 1.0% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Lower Columbia River Steelhead
Status: Threatened
Domain: Willamette/Lower Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 57.8% |
| Shrubland | 15.4% |
| Grass pasture | 5.2% |
| Developed open space | 4.0% |
| Developed low intensity | 3.5% |
| Mixed forest | 3.4% |
| Deciduous forest | 2.3% |
| Open water | 2.1% |
| Developed med intensity | 2.0% |
| Barren | 1.1% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Mid-Columbia River Spring-run Chinook Salmon
Status: Not Warranted
Domain: Interior Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Shrubland | 49.7% |
| Evergreen forest | 25.5% |
| Fallow idle cropland | 5.8% |
| Winter wheat | 5.8% |
| Developed open space | 1.7% |
| Alfalfa | 1.6% |
| Grass pasture | 1.5% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Middle Columbia River Steelhead
Status: Threatened
Domain: Interior Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Shrubland | 52.5% |
| Evergreen forest | 25.0% |
| Fallow idle cropland | 5.2% |
| Winter wheat | 5.2% |
| Developed open space | 1.6% |
| Alfalfa | 1.5% |
| Grass pasture | 1.4% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Northern California Steelhead
Status: Threatened
Domain: North-Central California Coast
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 61.3% |
| Shrubland | 21.0% |
| Grass pasture | 6.9% |
| Developed open space | 3.5% |
| Mixed forest | 3.2% |
| Deciduous forest | 1.3% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Odd Year Pink Salmon
Status: Not Warranted
Domain: Puget Sound
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 47.4% |
| Shrubland | 11.5% |
| Mixed forest | 8.5% |
| Developed low intensity | 6.0% |
| Developed open space | 5.8% |
| Grass pasture | 3.9% |
| Deciduous forest | 3.4% |
| Barren | 2.9% |
| Developed med intensity | 2.9% |
| Open water | 1.5% |
| Developed high intensity | 1.1% |
| Woody wetlands | 1.0% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Oregon Coast Coho Salmon
Status: Threatened
Domain: Oregon Coast
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 54.2% |
| Shrubland | 19.1% |
| Mixed forest | 12.2% |
| Grass pasture | 4.8% |
| Developed open space | 4.1% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Puget Sound Chinook Salmon
Status: Threatened
Domain: Puget Sound
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 50.1% |
| Shrubland | 12.1% |
| Mixed forest | 7.9% |
| Developed open space | 5.3% |
| Developed low intensity | 5.2% |
| Grass pasture | 3.3% |
| Barren | 3.0% |
| Deciduous forest | 3.0% |
| Developed med intensity | 2.4% |
| Open water | 1.6% |
| Perennial ice snow | 1.1% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Puget Sound Steelhead
Status: Threatened
Domain: Puget Sound
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 47.4% |
| Shrubland | 11.8% |
| Mixed forest | 8.5% |
| Developed low intensity | 6.0% |
| Developed open space | 5.9% |
| Grass pasture | 3.7% |
| Deciduous forest | 3.4% |
| Developed med intensity | 3.0% |
| Barren | 2.8% |
| Open water | 1.5% |
| Developed high intensity | 1.1% |
| Woody wetlands | 1.0% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Puget Soundof Georgia Chum Salmon
Status: Not Warranted
Domain: Puget Sound
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 47.4% |
| Shrubland | 11.5% |
| Mixed forest | 8.5% |
| Developed low intensity | 6.0% |
| Developed open space | 5.8% |
| Grass pasture | 3.9% |
| Deciduous forest | 3.4% |
| Barren | 2.9% |
| Developed med intensity | 2.9% |
| Open water | 1.5% |
| Developed high intensity | 1.1% |
| Woody wetlands | 1.0% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Puget Soundof Georgia Coho Salmon
Status: Species of Concern
Domain: Puget Sound
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 47.4% |
| Shrubland | 11.5% |
| Mixed forest | 8.5% |
| Developed low intensity | 6.0% |
| Developed open space | 5.8% |
| Grass pasture | 3.9% |
| Deciduous forest | 3.4% |
| Barren | 2.9% |
| Developed med intensity | 2.9% |
| Open water | 1.5% |
| Developed high intensity | 1.1% |
| Woody wetlands | 1.0% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Sacramento River Winter-run Chinook Salmon
Status: Endangered
Domain: Central Valley
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Grass pasture | 20.8% |
| Fallow idle cropland | 10.8% |
| Rice | 10.1% |
| Walnuts | 7.2% |
| Shrubland | 6.4% |
| Evergreen forest | 5.7% |
| Developed open space | 4.3% |
| Alfalfa | 4.3% |
| Almonds | 3.3% |
| Developed med intensity | 3.1% |
| Developed low intensity | 2.6% |
| Winter wheat | 2.3% |
| Corn | 1.7% |
| Other hay non alfalfa | 1.7% |
| Herbaceous wetlands | 1.6% |
| Open water | 1.5% |
| Sunflower | 1.3% |
| Plums | 1.3% |
| Clover wildflowers | 1.2% |
| Tomatoes | 1.0% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Snake River Basin Steelhead
Status: Threatened
Domain: Interior Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 52.4% |
| Shrubland | 26.2% |
| Grass pasture | 11.3% |
| Winter wheat | 2.5% |
| Fallow idle cropland | 1.6% |
| Other hay non alfalfa | 1.1% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Snake River Fall-run Chinook Salmon
Status: Threatened
Domain: Interior Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Shrubland | 32.4% |
| Evergreen forest | 25.0% |
| Grass pasture | 18.5% |
| Winter wheat | 7.1% |
| Fallow idle cropland | 4.1% |
| Open water | 1.9% |
| Other hay non alfalfa | 1.7% |
| Dry beans | 1.7% |
| Developed open space | 1.7% |
| Spring wheat | 1.4% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Snake River Sockeye
Status: Endangered
Domain: Interior Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 55.1% |
| Grass pasture | 19.7% |
| Shrubland | 17.5% |
| Open water | 2.6% |
| Perennial ice snow | 2.0% |
| Herbaceous wetlands | 1.4% |
| Barren | 1.1% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Snake River Spring/Summer-run Chinook Salmon
Status: Threatened
Domain: Interior Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 48.0% |
| Shrubland | 30.2% |
| Grass pasture | 13.4% |
| Winter wheat | 1.8% |
| Fallow idle cropland | 1.4% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
South-central California Coast Steelhead
Status: Threatened
Domain: South-Central/Southern California Coast
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Grass pasture | 33.1% |
| Shrubland | 30.9% |
| Mixed forest | 9.0% |
| Evergreen forest | 8.8% |
| Developed open space | 5.7% |
| Grapes | 2.9% |
| Fallow idle cropland | 2.1% |
| Developed low intensity | 1.5% |
| Barren | 1.2% |
| Developed med intensity | 1.2% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Southern California Steelhead
Status: Endangered
Domain: South-Central/Southern California Coast
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Shrubland | 45.3% |
| Developed med intensity | 13.2% |
| Developed open space | 9.1% |
| Grass pasture | 9.0% |
| Developed low intensity | 7.7% |
| Evergreen forest | 4.3% |
| Developed high intensity | 4.3% |
| Mixed forest | 3.5% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Southern ORCA Coasts Coho Salmon
Status: Threatened
Domain: Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 63.6% |
| Shrubland | 22.2% |
| Grass pasture | 5.1% |
| Developed open space | 3.1% |
| Mixed forest | 2.3% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Upper Columbia River Spring-run Chinook Salmon
Status: Endangered
Domain: Interior Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 44.9% |
| Shrubland | 38.6% |
| Grass pasture | 4.6% |
| Barren | 2.4% |
| Developed low intensity | 1.7% |
| Fallow idle cropland | 1.3% |
| Developed open space | 1.3% |
| Apples | 1.2% |
| Open water | 1.2% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Upper Columbia River Steelhead
Status: Threatened
Domain: Interior Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Shrubland | 46.0% |
| Evergreen forest | 33.0% |
| Grass pasture | 3.6% |
| Apples | 2.3% |
| Open water | 1.8% |
| Barren | 1.8% |
| Alfalfa | 1.6% |
| Developed low intensity | 1.5% |
| Fallow idle cropland | 1.5% |
| Developed open space | 1.3% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Upper Columbia River Summer-run Chinook Salmon
Status: Not Warranted
Domain: Interior Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Shrubland | 48.7% |
| Evergreen forest | 29.0% |
| Grass pasture | 3.6% |
| Apples | 2.4% |
| Developed open space | 2.0% |
| Developed low intensity | 2.0% |
| Alfalfa | 1.3% |
| Fallow idle cropland | 1.3% |
| Open water | 1.2% |
| Grapes | 1.2% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Upper Willamette River Chinook Salmon
Status: Threatened
Domain: Willamette/Lower Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 49.2% |
| Shrubland | 12.9% |
| Grass pasture | 12.3% |
| Sod grass seed | 8.5% |
| Developed low intensity | 2.5% |
| Developed open space | 2.2% |
| Mixed forest | 2.2% |
| Woody wetlands | 1.5% |
| Other tree crops | 1.2% |
| Developed med intensity | 1.2% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Upper Willamette River Steelhead
Status: Threatened
Domain: Willamette/Lower Columbia
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 30.6% |
| Grass pasture | 15.2% |
| Shrubland | 14.2% |
| Sod grass seed | 11.3% |
| Mixed forest | 5.9% |
| Developed low intensity | 4.0% |
| Developed open space | 3.2% |
| Developed med intensity | 2.0% |
| Woody wetlands | 1.8% |
| Other tree crops | 1.8% |
| Clover wildflowers | 1.7% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Washington Coast Chinook Salmon
Status: Not Warranted
Domain: Puget Sound
Habitat range and land cover
| Land cover | % |
|---|---|
| Evergreen forest | 59.4% |
| Shrubland | 17.8% |
| Grass pasture | 4.9% |
| Background | 3.4% |
| Developed open space | 3.2% |
| Woody wetlands | 2.1% |
| Barren | 2.0% |
| Mixed forest | 1.6% |
| Deciduous forest | 1.6% |
| Developed low intensity | 1.1% |
| Note: | |
| All other land covers < 1% |
Life Histories and Seasonality
The effects of agriculture on salmon will depend on their life histories. DPS migrate, rear, and spawn at different times throughout the year. When environmentally stressful agricultural practices occurs also varies by crop.
To facilitate discussion about possible temporal overlaps, I provide the life histories of each species below, followed by links to the crop progress reports for commodity crops in the four states. Reports for crops with major geographic overlap with specific species can be compared to their life histories to reveal when certain species might be particularly vulnurable to field operations.
Note that the supplementary material in Crozier et al. (2019) has maps that break DPS ranges down by use type (i.e. migration, rearing, spawning), which could allow us to break down land cover in even more detail over each species’ life history.
Salmon life histories Reprinted from Crozier et al. (2019). Colors represent life stages, where yellow indicates adult freshwater migration and holding, red spawning, orange incubation, light blue juvenile freshwater rearing and migration, green estuary and nearshore rearing, and dark blue marine stage.
NASS Crop Progress Reports
CA | OR | WA | ID
Citations
Crozier, L. G., McClure, M. M., Beechie, T., Bograd, S. J., Boughton, D. A., Carr, M., … & Hazen, E. L. (2019). Climate vulnerability assessment for Pacific salmon and steelhead in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem. PloS One, 14(7), e0217711. Link